As a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, you may renew your stay in the United States for an additional two years, within a 30-day window that starts 150 days before your status expires. Understandably, you may want somewhat more of a permanent status in the country, without the stress of meeting tight windows for frequent renewals. Your ultimate goal may be to become a U.S. citizen. Well, please continue reading to learn whether DACA recipients are afforded the chance of citizenship status and how an experienced Baltimore County, Maryland DACA lawyer at the Sheri Hoidra Law Office, LLC, can help you feel secure in your stay.
What should I know about the DACA program?
In short, the DACA program offers temporary protection from deportation and access to work permits for undocumented students and young immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Since 2012, this program has benefited over 500,000 individuals.
DACA status is more limited than permanent resident status because you may not travel outside the U.S. before obtaining advance parole, that is, prior permission. Subsequently, those with DACA status are not afforded the same rights as citizens, like voting rights, running for office, federal work, etc.
Is it possible for DACA recipients to obtain U.S. citizenship?
To reiterate, DACA provides recipients with a temporary protection status. With that, it does not offer a direct path toward lawful permanent residency or citizenship in the United States. However, this is not to say that recipients cannot become citizens eventually; it may just require extra steps.
For example, a DACA recipient may marry a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. With this, their spouse may file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, while they submit Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Using this same example, a DACA recipient turned green card holder may eventually apply for naturalization to citizenship with Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. That said, a similar path may be taken through another family-based immigration petition, an employment-based sponsorship, or an advance parole with an adjustment of status.
You must understand the long road ahead if you choose to embark on this journey, though. This is because, for one, you must possess your green card for at least five years before applying for citizenship. Then, this is not to mention the prolonged waiting time associated with each application process.
If this blog has deeply resonated with your personal situation and concerns thus far, please reach out to a skilled Baltimore County, Maryland immigration lawyer for more information. The team at the Sheri Hoidra Law Office, LLC, will be glad to represent you in your upcoming legal case.